{this moment}

{this moment} - Joining Amanda in a Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Made for Walking

I have wanted boots for several years. I am not referring to snow boots; I live in Arizona remember. I have wanted fashion boots. Boots that are cute, stylish and maybe, just maybe, a bit hip. Each year when asked what I want for the holidays or my birthday, I reply boots. Finally this year, I bought some with gift money from my parents.

After asking my friend what boots to purchase, I headed out to Last Chance, Nordstrom's clearance store. In all honesty, I hate the store. My mom loves it. She can always find a fantastic score. Of course, she is a shopper. She will look and look for the big name brand at rock bottom prices. I cannot stand the mess, the craziness and the work. However, my book group was meeting near it, and I wanted to see if any boots were available.

It was crazy. Post-holiday returns jammed the store. People were all over trying on shoes, sorting through handbags and finding clothing. I found the aisle for my shoe size, but store staff had closed it for restocking. As I waited, I perused the adjacent row of smaller sizes. That is when I found my boots. I looked at the size and sighed. There were a half size too small. Throwing caution to the wind, I tried them on my finicky feet, and they fit. Not only did they fit, but the shoes felt good. Woo Hoo! I headed to the mirror to assess the look. Another shopper stopped me to glow about the boot style and fit. I was sold. I looked at a few more styles and colors before heading to the checkout. The boots were mine! Once home, I donned the new footwear for my husband. He gave an eager thumbs up. I even wore them the next day. I love, love love them.

In celebration of my recent purchase, I finished knitting my boot accoutrements as well. The snuggly legwarmers I started last week are done. Unfortunately I realized that the boots are too tight on my calves for my legwarmers, but I still love them(both the legwarmers and the boots!). I used Rowan Purelife Organic Wool for the pseudo socks. It is so unbelievably soft and squishy. Since I am not sure if I will ever wear them together, I added regular knee-high boot socks to my knitting queue. I will start those when I finish my other two pairs of socks.

In the meantime I cast on for another Milo vest. Aine requested the sweater after I made Benton's green owl one. The yarn for this milo is inspired by Ginny's son, Seth and a prior Yarn Along. I showed Aine the colors of the Chroma yarn from Knitpicks, and she immediately selected the lollipop colorway. Secretly I knew she would pick this fun rainbow yarn. I know she will love the finished project. It is so very Aine. For this milo I will probably do the heart cable, although Aine may want the horseshoes.

When not knitting this week, I managed to finish the Yarn Harlot's newest book. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to mothers and knitters alike. I haven't started a new book yet. I am too busy catching up on my magazine pile. I think my next book will be a Yarn Along recommendation though.

So, do you have new boots? Did you receive something you have wanted for a long time? If so, I hope you love it as much as I love my new boots! Of yeah, and what are you knitting and reading?

Getting There is Half the Fun

Probably the biggest thing I have learned from my children is slowing down to notice the small things. They remind me to not rush through something to achieve the end result, but rather to enjoy each moment. Every day they take time to stop. They do not worry about time or the calendar or obligations. Yesterday was no different.

Our trip downtown to our local science center was a delightful mix of wandering and noticing. I try to take our local mass transit train(PhART) whenever I get the opportunity. Yes, it often takes longer. Yes, it can be crowded on the way home. Yes, we have to wait and practice patience. However, the benefits are great. While riding to our destination, Benton and Aine remarked on all the wonders of the train. They noticed people riding with us and landmarks that we passed. Benton and I discussed what emergencies would justify pressing the red call button. We counted stops, wondered if we should get off at other stops and surmised on how far we could walk comfortably if we did get off at those stops. Eamon was able to read, and I knit as we rode. It was fantastic, and only cost $3.50 - much less than fuel and parking!

The kiddos remembered that there are bronze sculptures along our walk to the center. Eamon and Aine thought they might be a temporary thing and were so delighted to discover the statues are permanent. I stopped with them for quite a long while as they played. At first I wanted to move us along as we were meeting a group of friends. Instead I remembered to relax and notice with them. I pulled out my knitting and looked around the area. Our city can be so beautiful this time of year even in its urban setting. We discovered little people without pants in the scorpion's pinchers. We remarked on the pill bug's mismatched shoes. Each of the kiddos tried to figure out what the round discs by the bug's toes were. We just really soaked up the moment without worry about schedules or commitments.

Their exploration continued when we arrived. We spent a lot of time watching demonstrations and talking to staff. Most of our time was spent in one area really testing out the displays. When most of our group went to the current pirate exhibit, we declined (part of my recommitment to a budget). Instead of worrying about missing something, we found other areas to explore. It was a great afternoon, and no one wanted to leave.

Testing out the bed of nails

Watching the ball move through her track

Spinning and spinning until you cannot stand

Leave we must, though, as the museum is not open all hours. Aine suggested we sit outside for a bit and eat the rest of our snacks. For a bit, I sat as they ran around. Their giggles and laughter carried me as I looked at the sky, our belongings and the area. They ran into me laughing as they played chase. Each climbed on a large rock to sit. As we walked back to the PhART station, we discovered some carvings atop a gate. Each of us stopped in our own way to check them out. We talked about Egyptian phrases, good weather, friends and food. As we neared home, we planned our next trip hoping for more adventure and noticing.

Holding Back

Earlier this week, the kiddos and I showed up at our weekly park date to someone commenting on our unschooling ways. One of my children wore no shoes, another monster slippers and the third a costume. I let them choose what they wear and most of the time run little interference. My kiddos have a lot of choices in their lives, and I like it that way. This is not always easy for me. I cringe sometimes when I see what my kiddos plan or what they want to wear. I take a deep breathe and then let it go.

This weekend Aine was invited to a birthday party for a friend. We talked a bit about a gift for her friend. Aine's eyes lit up as she claimed she knew exactly what she wanted to give her. She ran into her playroom and came back with a little dog and carrier. I hesitated a moment while my thoughts collected. I looked into Aine's gleaming eyes and said that would be a great gift. But as I said it I wondered if I shouldn't buy the child a gift at the store or give a gift card too. Was a handed down gift acceptable? Would the other family think us odd? Was my continual mantra of handmade, handed down or hand picked too much? Did it really matter what I thought?

Aine proceeded to gather the dog's accoutrements together. With a newspaper end roll at her side, she sat down on the kitchen floor and wrapped her gift. She could only find black electrical tape from her brother's bin, so she used it. A quick note was written with a birthday wish. She used notebook paper instead of the stacks of construction or craft paper. Again she knew she wanted the paper to have holes, so her friend could hang it.

As we walked into the skating rink for the party, Aine was so proud of her gift. She confidently carried it up to her friend wanting her to open it right away. Instead we set it on the table with the other pink, purple and glittery gift bags. At the close of the party, her friend opened her gifts. She opened the gift from Aine first after much urging from my little girl. It was a huge hit despite the wrapping and the lack of a store box. Aine knew her friend would love her gift, and she was right.

{this moment}

{this moment} - Joining Amanda in a Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Eamon as Jabba the Hut

Prepping

It is now the time of year, which I face with mixed emotions. I try to remember all the good that will come of this time. I focus on the fact that it only lasts a few months. I surround myself with others who are sympathetic. I look at the young people and know it is good. I push aside memories of the late nights spent trying to get the numbers to balance. I try to forget the worry over boothing and cash boxes. I focus on the positive, because for our family, there is no escaping Girl Scout cookie time.

I am the leader of a Girl Scout troop. The troop is comprised of homeschooling girls eager for fun, friends, crafts, and cookies. In an effort to help with our sale this year, I am also the cookie mom. Instead of my current book, I am reading all the cookie material. I am also acquainting myself with the online record keeping and stressing a bit about the whole process.

In an effort to remain sane, I am casting on for a few projects of varying skill. I am making some socks with afterthought heels in self-striping yarn. A cozy pair of lacy legwarmers made from stash yarn is my more difficult project on the needles. The final project is the Through the Loops mystery sock. I am hoping each will keep me distracted enough but present enough to make it through the next few months of cookie sales.

So, if you see me a bit frazzled, know that I will probably ask you if you want a cookie.

An Auspicious Start

I had a few leftover holiday projects to finish this season. First was finishing Benton's sweater and fixing Eamon's neck on his sweater. Those two tasks were relatively easy and quickly accomplished. The other project was a bit bigger. Last summer, I decided to opt out of the gift exchange my siblings do. Instead I wanted to give each of them a quilt made from tops and  blocks my grandmother and great-grandmother had pieced. I bought the needed supplies and then relied on my future self to work magic. Unfortunately that did not happen before the exchanging and shipping of gifts.

Faced with those unfinished quilts, I decided to make use of a fresh page on the calendar. I began them on the first day of 2012. One quilt is now finished. It is currently in the washer for a quick cleaning and subsequent fluff in the dryer. I will mail it out tomorrow. My grandmother and her mother had hand-pieced the top. I tied the quilt instead of quilting it. I am so pleased that one is finished, and I like how it came together. The other two are in various stages of completion. I am planning to work on them this week as I have two other quilts waiting in my queue. 

With such a flurry of activity, I think know 2012 is going to be a great year.

Closing out the Old

Our family was quite busy on the last day of 2011. We spent the day combining old and new traditions.

Each year we join friends for the Fiesta Bowl Parade in downtown Phoenix. The menfolk venture out early to guarantee our group a spot up front. The kiddos and I joined them after a ride on the PhART (Phx Area Rapid Transit). Armed with loads of silly string and snacks, we waved, yelled and enjoyed the wonderful Arizona day. Our silly string usage did anger a few parade volunteers who were sure it was forbidden. We assured them that the kind bicycle officers had already talked to our group earlier about the silly string. It was definitely allowed at the parade; it just could not be used by the horses. They threatened us and almost swiped a can out of Eamon's hands. I politely told them again what we had been told and asked them to go ahead and contact those kind officers if they really thought they should. The volunteers left us alone at that point!

With his silly string

Blowing Pixie Dust

Tuckered out as we headed home on the PhART

After we returned home for a bit of a recharge post parade, we headed out to our friends' house for a family NYE party. It was such fun. The kiddos ran around the property, played chess, build creations, roasted marshmallows, looked at Earth's moon as well as those of Jupiter, cuddled by the campfire and had a totally wonder-filled and glorious evening. We are very fortunate to have found our community. It was such a great way to end the old and welcome the new year.